One More Jab

We had our latest C-boosters last week. I’ve lot track of the number that we’re at, but I will continue to follow the best science available, which is that seniors should stay up to date with the shots.

A few short years ago, the first rounds of shots were massive undertakings involving distancing, masking and long lines. This one was not much more a drop-in at the pharmacy. We were unmasked and on our own, and we occupied the only two chairs in the waiting area although Sue's chair was sometimes empty as she wandered about surveying the nearby shelves.

We were soon ushered into a little room to receive our boosters. Sue asked the friendly pharmacist about his delightful accent, and he was happy to tell us that he was from Nigeria. I think he said that he came to Canada four years ago, and I know that he said that he ended up in Thompson, Manitoba.

What a shock for the lad, going from a tropical climate to a subarctic one and from a heavily populated country to a isolated community of 15000 on the Canadian Shield.

Thompson, Manitoba experiences a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) with long, very cold winters and short, warm summers. The average monthly temperature ranges from -23.4°C in January to 16.2°C in July. Most of the annual precipitation, which totals 521.5mm, falls between June and September. Snowfall mainly occurs from October to May and totals 180.3 cm per year. (Google AI Overview)

Thompson is a northern mining town. At 55°N, it is several hundred kilometres closer to Hudson Bay than it is to Winnipeg. Thompson is very isolated. If you want to see the famous polar bears in Churchill, for example, you can't drive from Thompson (or from anywhere for that matter) but would have to take the train or fly. I didn't think to ask him if he had done this, but he probably would have said.

He didn't stay in Manitoba for long and has now lived in comparatively balmy Eastern Ontario for three years.

He asked us to stay in the store for ten minutes after our shots, and we did, more or less anyway. We purchased two bags of lightly salted, Canadian-made popcorn by a company, or at least a brand, called Nosh. Our newfound avoidance of things American has been a boon to some Canadian companies.

Sorry folk, we really do love you but . . .

Deadly Names

 We watched the Welsh mystery series, The One That Got Away, on Acorn.

Over the years, three nurses were abducted and killed. One was a Quinlan; one was a Rayner. I can’t remember the third because the name wasn’t relevant to me.

Quinlan and Rayner were relevant to me, however, because my mother was a Quinlan, and my father and I are Rayners. Maybe this programs explains why there aren't many of us around, especially Quinlans lol. I've never met a single Quinlan in my life, but I did teach two Rayner brothers in my thirty years.

By the way, it was a pretty good, six episode series, but I think I am the only one in my blogroll that subscribes to either Acorn or Britbox. I rather love British-quality telly.

Not Pretty

I was to be found in a clothing store on Wednesday morning, for there is a downside to losing weight.

Basically, I was swimming in my summer shorts (not literally), and when the temperature went up to 26C/79F, it was time to start getting myself out of hot jeans and into something cooler.

So, three shorts and many dollars later, I think that am more or less set for summer. 

I also felt the need to purchase a new belt for the first time in many a decade. Fortunately, jeans had already been updated.

As long as I don’t need to dress up for some fine occasion or other, I should be sufficiently kitted for awhile.

What I will also share with you is how awful my body looks. At one time in my life, I looked pretty good at this weight, but I already have an old, saggy body that is now compounded by skin that was stretched too far for too long.

It ain't pretty, I tells ya.

An Observation

When we three photo amigos meet for coffee, Bob is always there first. In point of fact, he is usually so early that he has finished consuming his consumables by the time Nick and I arrive. Mind you, he usually drinks something other than coffee, perhaps chocolate milk, and that does tend to go down the hatch more quickly than coffee.

Traditionally, I arrive second —  a bit before the appointed time.

Then comes Nick — a bit after the appointed time.

However, I have arrived a little later in the last two meetups. I have done this deliberately but not for any particular reason. Meanwhile, Nick has arrived a bit earlier than usual, so we have arrived at the same time.

When I walked through the door before him, I bought his coffee. The last time, he entered first and paid for my drink.

I recently observed that women tend to bring gifts to each other when they visit. I mentioned that, in my experience, men do not do this. However, it is also my observation that men are more likely to pick up the tab for each other and not quibble about who paid more or less than the other or even expect reciprocation at all.

Of course, this is just my casual observation and not exactly a scientific study, so it may or may not parallel your experience.

Hungry After Hibernating

I got myself to the grocery store pretty early yesterday morning. It's a good time to shop, and it works for me. There is usually only one cash open at that time, for that is all that is usually required.

But yesterday wasn't usual because ahead of me was a couple who had, apparently, spent the winter hibernating with the bears and hadn't eaten since October, and they were very very hungry. They had two full carts and kept piling countless items onto the conveyor for what seemed like an eternity.

The lady behind me had one item — grapes — that she was going to take to her friend when they visited that morning. I observed that women do that sort of thing — take gifts when they meet for a visit. Men don't do that and find it perplexing. I don't know why she didn't use the self-checkout for just one item, but I didn't ask. I use it sometimes, depending on how full my cart is, because it is cumbersome to self-check many items in the setup in this store. But I guess that I still should have.

The guy behind her angrily threw his few items, including meat, on the adjacent conveyer and stomped off in a great huff. The next guy, who was now behind me because the lady had moved ahead of me, was also getting a little tetchy. We talked a bit. He had fewer items than I, so I offered to let him precede me as well. He seemed a little chastened and decided that his time wasn't all that important.

The hibernating bear-friends eventually got through and so did the lady with the grapes. Out of curiosity, I asked the cashier how much the bear-couple's order came to. More than $1100.

Meanwhile, the man who had been behind me got through quicker than I because they did open another lane, and he didn't even wave goodbye. When they opened the new lane, my items were at least partly on the beltway, so I was stuck in Noman's Land as it were.

The extra time didn't really matter. I got everything done that day that I needed to, and I shall continue to let people go ahead of me when it seems like the right and proper thing to do.

Overcome

As I mentioned in yesterdays post, I was really appreciating the greenery that I was seeing on Sunday's walk after the preceding rather miserable week. I continued to notice the colour, almost as if my senses were being overcome, and then I realized that, in a sense, the colour was also overcoming the scenes and buildings that we ambled by

When we first began to walk across the bridge, I looked back toward the old mill and saw much green along the waterway. The old mill was seemingly being overcome by green, or at least its sight lines were. 

Note: these photos are all iPhone shots, and I have run some filters. There has been some intentional soft-focusing, which I know that some may find difficult.

At the other end of the bridge, the old machine shop building also appeared to be overcome.

We then walked around to the front of that ↑ building, and I saw that the smaller building beside it was also being rather overcome. It was at this point that I was really picking up the theme. 

Even though the next three photos are not my favourite photos of the day, I show them as part of the progression of the theme.

Between the two buildings above, I saw more green trying to obscure and overcome the dilapidating buildings.

Continuing along that little path, I next came to this doorway, which I think was being quite overcome.

Finally, along the same passage between the two buildings, we came to one more doorway. I think this may possibly be my favourite photo of my little Overcome shoot that evolved on this walk.

Near the end of the loop, we came back to the old mill, I took a photo from a different perspective with lots of surrounding green.

In summary, I'd have to say that both I and the buildings were rather overcome by spring green. I quite like the first two photos and the final two, but I present them all as part of the day's progression and exploration.

Back to Walkies with Sue

Our walkies really got curtailed for a week. We still went on a few local quickies, but, my goodness! the wind, rain and cold were not very appealing.

On one day that was somewhat moderate, Sue had me walk under this arching branch along the trail, or arcing if you prefer.

Since her photo theme for the day was Hurry, I decided to ham it up a bit.

But she decided on a triptych of the squirrel by the backyard feeder that we pass along the trail. 

You might wonder at this next scene. We are told that this building will be a Winners store. Canadians, at least in this region, will know of the franchise, and it is a pretty big deal for just a town.

We were there because her theme for that day was Construction, but she thought she could do better than this, so off we went to another location where they are constructing apartments. With two cranes and two workers, I think she nailed the construction theme.

Finally, on Sunday morning, we had somewhat sunny skies so our walk was a little more pleasant and uplifting.

We drove to the trail bridge, and as soon as we got up there, I was quite taken with the green.

A guy walked by with three poodles. I got a snap of them retreating along the path.

After our mild exercise, we stopped for coffee and turkey-bacon club sandwiches at Tims and took our provender to the park where it was nice enough to leave the car and eat upon a bench. After eating and drinking, we used Sue's selfie stick and made an effort to get both of us plus the arc of the tree in the frame. Composing with an selfie stick while trying to click the shutter caused us some mirth.